Condenser



Patented Feb. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT AoFl-ICE PAUL A. BANCEI, O1?MONTCLAIIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 INGERSOLL-MND COM- IPAN'Y, 0F JERSEYCITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY CONDENSER Application iledDecember 18, 1929. Serial No. 414,962.

This invention relates to condensers, but' more particularly to aflexible joint adapted to be interposed between sections of thecondenser casing.

One object of the invention is to permit of expansion and contraction ofthe elements to which the condenser is attached, such as turbine nozzleswithout necessitating the use of flexible couplings at the turbinenozzles.

The condenser of this invention is particularly adapted for use with adouble flow turbine having a central steam inlet in which the steamenters at a very hi h temperature for instance 700-750 This means thatthe center part of the-turbine barrel is at a corresponding temperature.On a single flow turbine, the exhaust end is doWelled and movement dueto changes in temperature occurs at the steam inlet end on some form ofgreased guides. This, of course is not possible with a double iowturbine and movement must be taken up laterally by and in which similarreference characters` refer to similar parts,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a condenserconstructed in accordance with the practice of the invention, and

, Figure 2 is a transverse view of a detail taken through Figure 1 onthe line 2--2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referringmore particularly to the drawings, A designates a casingcomprising in this instance two sections B and C, each of which has aninlet opening D' for steam and an outlet opening E for condensate. Thecasing A is shown as being supported by nozzles ,F which may form a partof a center inlet turbine (not shown) and through which the steam fromsuch turbine or similar machine iows into the sections B and C.

The condenser may be of the single pass type and is provided'with tubesG which exv tend longitudinally of the-casing and transversely of thedirectionof stea iiow. The tubes G are supported intermediate their endsby support sheetsH andare fixedly secured at the ends to tube sheet's J,as for instance by expanding the ends of the tubes into the tube sheets.

In the construction shown, the tube sheets J also serve as closures forwater boxes K and L which may be substantially symmetrical. One box, asfor instance the box L, may serve as an inlet box into which the coolingwater is introduced through inlet openings O. The box K serves as anoutlet box having'outlet .openingsP through which the cooling waterflows from the water box K. Both boxes K and L may be divided into twocompartments by walls Q, interposed between the openings of the boxes.

In. accordance with the present invention, means are providedforpermitting the expansive and contractile movement of the turbine nozzlesF and corresponding relative move'- ment of the casing sections. Thismeans comprises a iexible band interposed between the adjacent ends ofthe sections B and C which are suitably spaced with respect toeachother. The band R thus forms a portion of the casing A. In crosssection the flexible band R may be Substantially U-` shaped. Thestraight legs S of the band are adapted to lie fiush against the ends ofthe sectlons B and C and may be conveniently clam ed thereto by clampingrings -T which may e secured to the ends of the sections in any suitableway.

Similarly, between the outer ends of the sections B and C and the tubesheets J' are interposed flexible bands R which are held securely inposition by clamping rings T.

From the foregoing it will be seen that any expansion or contractionwhich may take Aplace between the nozzles 'F will not cause strains inthe condenser shell. Likewise, ex-

C and the turbine nozzles F will not impose a strain on the tubes G,since any lateral vmovement of the sections B and C will react only onthe iiexible bands R..

Inasmuch as the tubes are constantly filled with coolingliquid and areof different material they will not expand or contract in the samedegree as the portions comprising the casing of the condenser. Due tothis fact it is desirable that the means, such as the tube sheets J towhich the tubes are fixed be capable of adjustingtheir positionsrelatively to the sections and also relatively toeach other. Otherwisethe joints ,between the tubes and the tube sheets may become bent orloosened or the .tubes may become bent or broken, particularly wherethey lhave been previously weakened by"c'orrosion. In order therefore toenable the water boxes K and L to adjust their positions to compensatefor any variation in the lengths of the tubes, said water boxes areprovided with separate supporting means in the form of bearings U whichin turn may be mounted on supports V located at a lower level than themeans, such as a floor (not shown) whereby vthe turbine is Ysupported.

The bearings U may be in the form of plates provided at opposite endswith side walls W having integral introverted flan es X which overlielateral Han es Y carried y the water boxes K and L. eans, such asrollers Z, are interposed between the bearings U and the bottom of thewater boxes to support the weight of the Awater boxes and also to enablesaid boxes to move readily with respect to the sections in accordance-with the degree of expansion or contraction of the tubes G.

In practice the present invention has been found to function in anunusually eiiicient manner. It enables the casing A and the tubes G toexpand in variable degrees without y subjecting one element to thestrains induced by the movement of another element.

I claim 1. In a surface condenser, a casing com` prising a plurality ofsections each having an inlet for steam,and a flexible joint between thesections to permit relative movement of the steam inlets.

2. In a surface condenser, a casing comprising a pluralit of sectionsadapted to be suspended from t e same support, each sec'-A tion havingan inlet for steam, and a -flexible joint between'thesections to permitrelative movement ofthe steam inlets.

3. In a surface condenser, a casing comprising a pair of sections spacedwith respect to each other and adapted to be suspended from a commonsupport, and a flexible joint connected toadjacent ends of the sectionsand forming aportion of the casing.

4. In a surface condenser, al casing comprising a pair of sect1ons,water boxes at the `ment of the sections and iexible joints between thesections and the water boxes to permit movement between the sectionswith respect to the water boxes.

5. In 'a surface condenser, a casing comprising a pair of sections,Water boxes at the outer ends of the sections, tube sheets .carried bythe water boxes, cooling tubes in the casing and connected at their endsto the tube sheets, a flexible joint between the sections to permitmovement of one section with respect to another, and flexible jointsbetween the sections and the tube sheets to permit relative movement ofthe tubes and the sections. l

6. In a surface condenser, a casing comprising a pair of sections, waterboxes at the outer ends of the sections, tube sheets carried by thewater boxes, cooling tubes in the casing and connected at their ends tothe tube sheets, a fiexible joint between the sections to permitrelative expansive and contractile movement of one section with respectto another, flexible joints between the sections and of expansion of thetubes and the sections, and means disassociated from the casing and thecasing support to support the water boxes.

7 In a surface condenser, a casing comprising a pair of sections, waterboxes at the outer ends of the sections, tube sheets carried by thewater boxes, cooling tubes in the casing and connected at their ends tothe tubesheets, a flexible joint between the sections to permitexpansive and contractile movement of one section with respect toanother, flexible joints between the sections and the tube sheets topermit of variable degrees of expansion of the tubes and the sections,bearings disassociated from the casing and its support t support thewater boxes, and means interposed between the water boxes and thebearings to permit of endwise Inovement of the Water boxes on thebearings.

8. In a surface condenser, a, casing comprising a pairlof sections,water boxes at the outer ends of the sections, tube sheets carried bythewater boxes, cooling tubes in thecasing and connected at their endsto the tube sheets, a iexible joint between the sections Ato permitexpansive and contractile movement of one section with respect toanprising a pair of sections adapted to be suspended from a common support, each section having an inlet for steam, water boxes at the outerends of the sections, a iexible joint between the sections, and flexiblejoints between the sections and the water boxes to permit movement ofthe sections relative to each other and to the water boxes.

10. In a surface condenser, a casing comprising a pair of sections,water boxes at the outer ends of the sections, tube sheets formingclosures for the water boxes, cooling tubes in the casing connected attheir ends to the tube sheets, a flexible connection between adjacentends of the sections, and fiexible connections between the sections andthe tube sheets` to permit of relative expansion of the casing sectionsand the cooling tubes.

11. In a surface condenser, a casing comprising a pair of sections,water boxes at the outer ends thereof, a lexible joint between j saidsections to permit of relative movement of the sections, exible jointsbetween .the sections and the water boxes to permit movementtherebetween, and means disassociated from the casing and the casingsupport to support the water boxes.

12. In a surface condenser, a casing comprising a pair of sections inendwise relationship flexibly connected at their adjacent ends, waterboxes flexibly connected to their outer ends, and means independent ofthe casing to support the water boxes.

13. In a surface condenser, a casing comprising a pair of sections inendwise relationship flexibly connected at their adjacent ends, steaminlets into each section, water boxes iexibly connected to their outerends and means independent of the casing for supporting the water boxes.

In testimony whereof have s igned'this l specification.

' PAUL A. BANCEL.

